I am a PA and have 4+ years in AGB care, fills, and have performed over 7000 barium swallows. Slippage and prolapse are being used as one in the same and they are NOT. Slippage is when the fundoplication (stitch) breaks loose and the band physically slips downward on the stomach. Prolapse is when stomach from below the band "mushrooms" up through the band, usually caused by an intense vomiting episode. However, both can present the same way.

1. epigastric pain and most described as "pressure" around the lower stenum.

2. Nocturnal reflux, liquids are "rolling" around in the back of your throat when you lay flat on your back at night. This will also make you cough and not sleep well. This is not good! You are at risk of aspiration pneumonia! Get up and sleep in a recliner.

3. Unable to eat solid foods and some liquuids without vomiting up soon after.

4. One day you feel fine and the next day these symptoms appear.

See your provider ASAP!!! An unfill will usually correct the symptoms but if your provider does NOT look at it under fluoro, no one will know what happened. The point is, THESE SYMPTOMS ARE C/W 1. SIMPLY A PIECE OF FOOD IS CAUGHT IN THE BAND. 2. THE BAND IS SIMPLY TOO TIGHT SECONDARY TO A FILL OR POSSIBLY SWELLING AT THE STOMA. 3. IT IS A PROLAPSE (MILD TO SEVERE) . 4. IT IS A SLIPPED BAND.

iF YOUR PROVIDER DOESN'T LOOK AT IT WITH AN X-RAY OR FLUORO, YOU WON'T KNOW.

IF IT IS A PROLAPSE, YOUR BAND WILL ALWAYS PROLAPSE AGAIN AND AGAIN. SLIPS MAY HAVE A CHANCE TO BE REVISED BUT PROLAPSE SHOULD BE CONVERTED INTO A GASTRIC SLEEVE.

Prolapse is under reported because providers are NOT using fluoro to diagnose band complications. Simple unfill procedures correct most all band related complications and in the case of prolapse........prolapse is going to be an ongoing problem. Cash pay banders beware.

Source: Slipped band??